Electronic packages are often used in vehicles, or other devices, that experience highly transient and extreme thermal environments. A guidance system for a jet aircraft or missile is just one example of such an electronic package. Theses electronic packages must be maintained within a given thermal operating range in order to maintain reliability and/or survive their environment. Thermal management techniques, such as forced air or liquid cooling, are known in the art, but their use includes drawbacks such as increased system complexity, cost, and weight, and a decrease in reliability as additional active components are added to the system.
For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the specification, there is a need in the art for improved systems and methods for passive thermal management.